Zugspitze – Germany’s highest peak Zugspitze – Germany’s highest peak Top of Germany! So that is what it feels like to have Germany at your feet: At precisely 2,962 metres above sea level, the Zugspitze is the highest mountain in the country and home to three glaciers and Germany’s highest ski resort. The 20 kilometres of pistes enjoy a deep covering of natural snow for skiing and boarding for six months of the year. The Zugspitze is also an attractive destination for non-skiers: Right at the top, an impressive 360° panorama opens up to reveal extensive views over 400 mountain peaks in four countries. The Zugspitze-Exhibition enhances visitors’ awareness of the historical developments of Germany’s most famous mountain. Two toboggan runs, Germany’s highest church, an igloo village and excellent mountain restaurants are reason enough for smiling faces. Only while sunbathing on the inviting deckchairs may you find that your eyelids droop for a well-earned snooze.

Whether winter sports enthusiasts, nature lovers, romantics or sun worshippers: The mountain railways of Bayerische Zugspitzbahn make it possible for everyone to discover the snow covered Zugspitze from their own personal perspective. Zugspitze Round Trip Enjoy the complete mountain experience in comfort: Take the cog wheel train from Zugspitze station Garmisch-Partenkirchen to the idyllic Lake Eibsee. The ascent with the Eibsee cable car offers spectacular views down to the lake, before new horizons open up with a powerful panorama at the Zugspitze Peak. The Zugspitze Glacier at 2,600 metres is then accessed using the glacier lifts, before the rack and pinion railway comfortably transports you through the Zugspitze Tunnel and back to your original starting point. A well rounded trip!

Zugspitzbahn: 8.15 am - 4.30 pm Gletscherbahn: 8.00 am - 4.25 pm Eibsee-Seilbahn: 8.00 am - 4:45 pm Hausbergbahn: 8.30 am - 4.15 pm Alpspitzbahn: 8.30 am - 4.30 pm Kreuzeckbahn 8.30 am - 4.15 pm Wankbahn: 8.30 am - 4.30 pm Germany’s highest mountain experience Germany’s highest mountain experience Welcome to the peak of happiness! Alternativen abseits der Skipisten Die Zugspitze. Das Gebiet Garmisch-Classic. Und der Panoramaberg Wank: Keine andere Region Deutschlands bietet so viele hochalpine Erlebnisse wie die verschneite Bergwelt rund um Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Kein anderer Punkt im Bundesgebiet überragt die 2.962 Meter hohe Zugspitze.

Und kein anderer Ausblick hält mit dem 360°-Panorama auf ihrem Gipfel mit. Wo sonst hat man schon 400 Bergspitzen in vier Ländern vor Augen? Weit über den Wolken und fernab des Alltags genießen Besucher flotte Skiabfahrten am Zugspitzgletscher, Rodelspaß auf Naturschneebahnen, polare Romantik im Iglu-Dorf und vieles mehr. Berge voll Naturerlebnisse finden Winterfans auch im Gebiet Garmisch-Classic und auf dem Wank. Auf der nahezu 1.000 Meter über den Abgrund ragenden Aussichtsplattform AlpspiX steigt das Adrenalin mit Sicherheit. Und auch am Fuße der Alpspitze, dem „Juwel des Werdenfelser Landes“, wecken einladende Skipisten und Winter-Wanderrouten Hochgefühle.

Wankbahn Wer kein aktiver Skifahrer oder Snowboarder ist, dem bieten sich in den Weihnachtsferien zahlreiche Alternativen in Weiß.Vom 1.780 Meter hohen Gipfel vis-à-vis der Zugspitze öffnet sich ein sagenhafter Rundblick auf das Esterberg-, Ammer-, Karwendel- und Wettersteingebirge, hinunter auf Garmisch-Partenkirchen und hinaus ins Loisachtal bis an die Grenzen von München. Auf den vorwiegend flachen Wegen rund um die Bergstation kann man gemütlich durch den Schnee stapfen und einzigartige Naturerlebnisse abseits des quirligen Pistenbetriebs in den gegenüberliegenden Skigebieten genießen. Auf der Sonnenterrasse der Sonnenalm können Ausflügler das winterliche Alpenpanorama bei einer Tasse Heißer Schokolade besonders hervorragend auf sich wirken lassen. Wankbahn Während der Feiertage vom 25. Dezember 2016 bis 8.

Januar 2017 täglich von 9:00 bis 16:30 Uhr in Betrieb. Wankbahn ¼ Ente inkl. Blaukraut und Knödel für 9,90 Euro Garmisch-Classic Von klassischen Winterfreuden wie Rodeln, Schneeschuhwandern und Wandern bis zu innovativen Bergerlebnissen wie die Aussichtsplattform AlpspiX: Das Gebiet Garmisch-Classic offeriert eine optimale Infrastruktur für berührende Naturerlebnisse. Und das auch für Nicht-Wintersportler, denn für alle Bergbahnen im Gebiet sind auch Fußgänger-Tickets erhältlich. Einheimische wie Gäste schätzen den mit der Bayerischen Zugspitzbahn zugänglichen Landstrich zwischen Alpspitze, Kreuzeck und Hausberg als abwechslungsreiches Wintersport- und Erholungsgebiet. Im Herzen des Skigebietes Garmisch-Classic liegt die Drehmöser 9, die nicht nur für aktive Wintersportler ideal erreichbar ist.

Mit der Hausbergbahn geht es auch für Ausflügler bequem zu der gemütlichen Hütte am Hausberg. Egal ob Mittags- oder Kaffeepause, auf der Terrasse der D9 lässt es sich bei Sonnenschein besonders entspannt über den Dächern Garmisch-Partenkirchens relaxen. Rundfahrt mit Alpspitz-, Hochalm- und Kreuzeckbahn Erwachsene: € 26,00 Dinkelpizza aus dem Steinofen je €11,50 Zugspitze Das Erlebnis, einmal auf der verschneiten Zugspitze zu stehen, bleibt zum Glück nicht nur erfahrenen Alpinisten vorbehalten. Mit den Bergbahnen der Bayerischen Zugspitzbahn fahren Zugspitzbesucher auch im Winter bequem bis auf das Dach Deutschlands. Oben angekommen warten eine satte Portion Schnee, Sonne und frische Bergluft.

Zum „Pflichtprogramm“ gehören der Besuch der Gipfelterrasse mit Vierländerblick auf über 400 Alpengipfel, eine rasante Rodelpartie auf dem Rodelhang Schneefernerkopf oder dem Anfängerhang am Zugspitzplatt sowie eine Pause auf der sonnenverwöhnten Terrasse des Gletscherrestaurants Sonnalpin. Oder wie wäre es mit einer Stärkung im Suppenkar am Zugspitzplatt? Das Angebot des erst neu eröffneten Restaurants reicht von traditionellen Eintöpfen bis hin zu exotischen Suppengerichten, sowohl in vegetarischen als auch veganen Varianten. Suppenkar-Angebot Munich Day Trips - Zugspitze - The Highest Mountain in Germany Zugspitze - The Highest Mountain in Germany Edit This Take a trip to Garmish-Partenkirchen which is an 1.5 -2 hour trip from Munich on the train. From there you can take a trip up to the summit of the highest mountain in Germany - the Zugspitze.

The Zugspitze can be found in the Bavarian Alps, straddling the border with Austria. The eastern summit is 9732ft/2967m high. Take the Zugspitzbahn and then able car to reach the summit. The views are truly awesome and words don't do them justice. You can apparently see five different countries on a clear day. Also if you get time why not take a stroll round the Eibsee lake nearby after you've taken the hair raising cable car back down from the summit. type: Mountains in Germany – Germany Tourism and Travel by Everything about Germany Comments Bavarian Forest Mountain Range The Bavarian Forest (German: Bayerischer Wald) is a low mountain range in Bavaria, Germany. It extends along the Czech border and is continued on the Czech side by the Sumava (Bohemian Forest). Geographically the Bavarian Forest and Bohemian Forest are the same mountain range. The highest mountain is the Großer Arber “Great Arber”, 1456 m. The main river is the Regen, which is formed by the conjunction of White Regen and Black Regen and leaves the mountains toward the city of Regensburg.

Part of the Bavarian Forest is occupied by the Bavarian Forest National Park (240 km²). Founded in 1970 and was the first national park in Germany. Black Forest Mountain Range The Black Forest (Schwarzwald) is a wooded mountain range in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany. It is bordered by the Rhine valley to the west and south. The highest peak is the Feldberg with an elevation of 1,493 meters (4,898 feet). The name Black Forest comes from the general dark color of the numerous pine trees that grow in this region. The Black Forest gateau originated from this region. Geography – Geologically, the Black Forest consists of a cover of sandstone on top of a core of gneiss. During the last ice age, the Würm glaciation, the Black Forest was covered by glaciers; several cirques such as the Mummelsee are remains of this period. Rivers in the Black Forest include Danube, Enz, Kinzig, Murg, Neckar, and Rench.

The Black Forest is part of the continental divide between the Atlantic Ocean watershed (drained by the Rhine) and the Black Sea watershed (drained by the Danube). Administratively, the Black Forest belongs to the following counties; in the north: Enz, Pforzheim, Rastatt, and Calw; in the middle: Freudenstadt, Ortenaukreis, and Rottweil; in the south: Emmendingen, Schwarzwald-Baar, Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald, Lörrach, and Waldshut. The forest mostly consists of firs; the main industry is tourism. Dialects spoken are Alemannic and Swabian. This forest has suffered serious damage from acid rain and is only a fraction of the size it used to be; however, the storm Lothar knocked down hundreds of acres of mountaintops in 1999, leaving some of the high peaks and scenic hills bare, with only primary growth shrubs and young fir trees. Many people say that they call it the black forest mountains because when on the mountain, in the wooded areas, is seems dark from the shadows of all the trees.

Quick Fact: The highest mountains are the Feldberg at 4,898 ft., the herzogenhorn at 4,642 ft., the belchen at 4,639 ft., the Schauinsland at 4,212 ft., the Kandel at 4,072 ft., the Blauen at 3,822 ft., and the Hornisgrinde at 3,819 ft. Eastern Alps Eastern Alps is the name given to the eastern half of the Alps, usually defined as the area east of the Splügen Pass in eastern Switzerland. North of the Splügen Pass, the Posterior Rhine forms the border, and south of the pass, the Liro river and Lake Como form the boundary line. The Eastern Alps include parts of Switzerland, most of Austria and of Liechtenstein, as well as parts of southern Germany, northern Italy and of Slovenia. The eastern border are the Wienerwald (Vienna Woods) and the Viennese basin which is the transition zone to the Carpathian mountains.

The Eastern Alps are traditionally divided according to the Alpenvereins-Einteilung (arrangement of the Alpine Club) into several dozen small regions, each assigned to the Northern Calcareous Alps, the Central Eastern Alps or the Southern Calcareous Alps. Fuller details are given on those pages of the regions they contain. The highest mountain in the Eastern Alps is Piz Bernina (4052 m) in Switzerland, followed by the Ortler (3905 m) in Italy/South Tyrol and then Großglockner (3798 m) in Austria. During the Würm glaciation, the Eastern Alps were drier than the Western Alps, with the contiguous ice shield ending in the region of the Niedere Tauern in Austria. This allowed many species to survive the ice age in the Eastern Alps where they could not survive elsewhere. For that reason, many species of plants are endemic to the Eastern Alps. Elbe Sandstone Mountains The Elbe Sandstone Mountains (German Elbsandsteingebirge, Czech Labské pískovce) is a mountain range. It straddles the border between the states of Saxony (in south eastern Germany) and the Czech Republic.

The name derives from the sandstone which was carved by the river Elbe. The holiday region of Elbe Sandstone Mountains (Saxon Switzerland), one of the most unique regions of natural beauty in Germany, is right on Dresden`s doorstep: the wildly romantic rocky landscapes of Elb Sandstone Mountains Roaring streams in craggy gorges, trees perched on promontories of rock jut out from the surrounding forest to form a unique backdrop for tourists and hikers alike. Places of interest include fortress Königstein, Fort Stolpen, Fort Hohnstein, Kuckuckstein Castle, and Weesenstein Castle. There are some 14,000 climbing routes via which mountain climbers can conquer 1100 free-standing peaks. Visitors can experience the spectacular natural scenes on the asphalt Elb cycle path, or on board a steam paddle boat that is part of the oldest fleet of its kind in the world. In the Elbe Sandstone Mountains you find numerous facilities for cure, rehablitation and the likes. The region has a tradition of many years. E.g.

in the year 1730 there were discovered the first ferrous and sulphurous sources in Bad Schandau, what caused a brisk demand for this place as a health resort and let to the build of swimming baths. Sandstone: Sandstone is a bedrock from rounded to sharp-edged grains, whose diameter lies in between 0,063 mm to 2 mm according to the DIN 4022. The term sand thus describes a defined grain size interval. In contrary to most other rocks the sandstone is not defined by a certain mineral constituent. Quartz is generally regarded as the main mineral. The various grains of sand, the components, can also consist of other minerals or rock fragments. A sandstone, whose components consist to more than 90% of quartz grains, is called quartz sand stone. If a sandstone component leads, whose diameter exceeds 2 mm, then it is called conglomerate sandstone (e.g. OLSBRUECKER SANDSTONE). Sandstones with portions of grain sizes under 0,063 mm or 0,002 mm are called silty and/or clayey sandstones.

Genesis: Sandstones are deposit or sedimentary rocks, resulting from the solidification of loose sand, the sediment. After CORRENS sediments are regarded as deposited products of mechanical and chemical decomposition after transport. Means of transport are essentially water, wind and ice. The deposit of the sand takes place due to the force of gravity via mechanical sedimentation. All components of a sandstone set off mechanically after transport are called detritus. Characteristic for all sedimentary rocks is the layering. It results from changes in the sedimentation conditions, e.g. the supply of materially different detritus or the change of the grain size of the depositing substances. The banking which can be observed in sandstone sequences is to be due to repeated sedimentation interruptions. The emergence of sandstones is possible in different deposit areas. The deposit of sand can take place within by streams nerved lowlands, within the muzzle range of rivers (delta levels) as well as within the sea range in direct proximity of the coast or on shallows. The diversity of the deposit areas mentioned with their specific deposit conditions, which experienced their unmistakable development in the temporal succession of earth-historical procedures, lead to different sandstones, which arrive into the trade with a large sort-variety.

Layer sequence in the sandstone Today the sandstone of this region shapes the landscape which was the sea bottom millions of years ago. Large rivers rinsed sand and decomposition debris into the Cretaceous sea. Rough quartz sand, clay and fine marl sank and solidified themselves layer for layer. A compact sandstone plate developed, about 20 x 30 kilometres wide and up to 600 meters thick. 1. Bohemian massif 4. Rhenish massif 5. Prehistoric sea of the Cretaceous period When the sea left approx 80 million years ago, the mountainforming decay began. At first bursts developed. From the north coming the Lusatian granite massif pushed itself gradually onto the sandstone plate. From the south the lifting mountains of the today’s Erzgebirge caused counterpressure – which slanted the brittle sandstone plate and bursted it. From the nearly right-angled break lines later the typical, cuboid-like fissure of the Elbe sandstone developed. Estergebirge Estergebirge is a small mountain range in Bavaria. It is classified either as part of Bavarian Prealps or larger chain of Northern Limestone Alps.

The range stretches for about 15 kilometers, from the west is bordered by valley of river Loisach, from the east by Walchensee lake and valley of river Isar. With highest peak Krottenkopf (2086 m) the highest part of the range just excedes 2000 m level. Prominent peaks are Krottenkopf (2086 m), Bischof (2033 m), Hohe Kisten (1922 m), der Hohe Fricken (1940 m). Standing few kilometer away is Simetsberg (1.836 m). The range is of limestone. Treeline is around 1700 m. As only the peak Wank (1779 m) is accessible by cable car, and most tourist and mountaineers are attracted to nearby higher ranges Wetterstein, Karwendel and to highest peak of Germany Zugspitze, Estergebirge stays relatively calm, with the exception of Wank. Estergebirge offers various trekking and mountaineering possibilities both in summer and winter.

Fichtelgebirge The Fichtelgebirge is a mountain range in northeastern Bavaria, Germany. It extends from the valley of the Red Main River to the Czech border, where it is continued by the much higher Ore Mountains. The highest mountain is the Schneeberg (1051 m). Rivers rising from the Fichtelgebirge are the White Main (German: Weißer Main) , the Saxon Saale, the Ohře (German: Eger) and the Fichtelnaab which later joins the Waldnaab. Cities on the edge of the mountains include Bayreuth and Hof. While the mountains slope gradually away to the north and the south, there is a steep slope to the west, where the Red Main forms the boundary of the mountains. The Fichtelgebirge attracts many tourists both during summer and winter, mainly for hiking and skiing, but also to see the large rock formations. Frankenwald The Frankenwald is a mid-altitude mountain range in Northern Bavaria, Germany. It is located in the district Oberfranken and forms the geological connection between the Fichtelgebirge and the Thuringian Forest.

It is a broad well-wooded plateau, running for about 45 kilometers (30 miles). in a north-westerly direction, descending gently on the north and eastern sides towards the Saale, but more precipitously to the Bavarian plain in the west, and attaining its highest elevation in the Döbraberg near Schwarzenbach am Wald (794 meters). Along the centre lies the watershed between the basins of the Main and the Saale, belonging to the systems of the Rhine and Elbe respectively. Harz The Harz is a mountain range in northern Germany. The northernmost mountain chain of Germany, it straddles the border between the states of Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia. The name Harz derives from a Middle High German word meaning “forest”. The Harz has a length of 95 km (southeast to northwest) and a width of 35 km. It occupies an area of about 2000 km², and reaches its highest point at the Brocken (1141 m), situated in Saxony-Anhalt.

The Wurmberg (971 m) is the highest peak in the Lower Saxony part. 600,000 people live in towns and villages of the Harz mountains. The Harz is divided into the Upper Harz (Oberharz) in the northwest and the Lower Harz (Unterharz) in the southeast. The Upper Harz has a higher elevation and features fir forests, while the Lower Harz gradually descends towards the surrounding land and has deciduous forests mingled with meadows. The settlement of the Harz began only 1000 years ago. In ancient times dense forests made the region inaccessible. 968 saw the discovery of silver deposits near the town of Goslar, and mines became established in the following centuries throughout the mountains. The wealth of the region declined after these mines became exhausted in the early 19th century. People abandoned the towns for a short time, but prosperity eventually returned with tourism. Between 1945 and 1990 an international border ran through the Harz, the west belonging to the FRG and the east to the GDR. Today the Harz forms a popular tourist destination for summer hiking as well as winter sports.

The Harz National Park is located in the Harz; it covers the Brocken and surrounding wilderness areas. Hunsrück The Hunsrück is a low mountain range in Rheinland-Pfalz (Rhineland-Palatinate), Germany. It is bounded by the river valleys of the Moselle (north), the Nahe (south) and the Rhine (east). The Hunsrück is continued by the Taunus mountains on the eastern side of the Rhine. In the north behind the Moselle it is continued by the Eifel. To the south of the Nahe, the Pfalz is to be found. Many of the hills are not higher than 400 m. There are several chains of higher peaks within the Hunsrück, all bearing names on their own: the (Schwarzwälder) Hochwald, the Idarwald, the Soonwald and the Binger Wald. The highest peak is the Erbeskopf (816 m). Notable towns located within the Hunsrück include Simmern, Kirchberg, and Idar-Oberstein, Kastellaun and Morbach.

Frankfurt-Hahn Airport, a growing low-fare carrier and cargo airport is also located within the region. The climate in the Hunsrück is characterised by rainy weather. Slate is mined in the mountains. The German TV drama trilogy Heimat, directed by Edgar Reitz, examined the 20th-century life of a small fictional village in the Hunsrück. Lusatian Mountains Lusatian Mountains (Czech: Lužické hory, German: Lausitzer Gebirge), a mountain range of Europe, on the southeastern border of Germany and the Czech Republic, east of the Elbe River, a continuation of the Erzgebirge which is west of the Elbe. The Lusatians themselves are an extension of the Sudeten Mountains of Bohemia and Moravia, and which join the Carpathian Mountains. The adjacent portion in southeastern Germany is called Lusatia. The highest peak is Luž (Lausche) 793 m.

Other notable peaks include Pěnkavčí vrch (Finkenkoppe) 792 m, Jedlová (Tannenberg) 774 m, Klíč (Kleis) 760 m, Hvozd (Hochwald) 750 m and Studenec (Kaltenberg) 736 m. Ore Mountains The Ore Mountains (German Erzgebirge, Czech Krušné hory) are a mountain range in Germany and the Czech Republic. They form the border between both countries for 150 km, extending from the western border of Saxony to the Elbe river. The western portions of the Ore Mountains have the highest peaks. The Klínovec (1244 m) on the Czech side and the Fichtelberg (1214 m) on the German side are the highest mountains of this range. In the west the Ore Mountains are continued by the much lower Bavarian Fichtelgebirge. In the east the Elbe Sandstone Mountains on both banks of the Elbe river may be regarded as the easternmost extension of the Ore Mountains.

East the Elbe, the mountain chain continues as the Lusatian Mountains. The Ore Mountains slope gently away to the north, where the cities of Zwickau and Chemnitz are located on the foothills, but the southern incline is extremely steep. The Ore Mountains were virtually unsettled during the Middle Ages and covered with dense forests. In the 15th century the discovery of silver and tin deposits led to the settlement of the mountains and the foundation of cities. The name is derived from the richness in mineral resources. Segmented Erz-gebirge, the name takes Erz- from the Tuscan city Arezzo, which produced such fine metal that its name became the German word for metal. Gebirge are “mountains.” Today the mountains are also a popular winter sports resort. The Ore Mountains are famous for many Christmas traditions. During the decline of silver and tin deposits, former miners had to look for new ways to feed their families. Besides lace making and woving, they went into wood carving.

Nutcrackers, Smoking Men, Pyramids (carousels with figures of the Christmas story or from mining) and Schwibbogen (wooden arcs with candles in the windows, symbolising the opening of a mine) are just some of many Christmas items of the Ore Mountains. Seiffen in the East Ore Mountains was a centre of the wooden toy industry. Orlické Hory The Orlické Hory (Polish Góry Orlickie, German Adlergebirge) are a mountain range located mainly in northeastern Bohemia, Czech Republic, forming a subgroup of the Sudetes. They follow the border with Poland for 25 miles (40 km). The mountains are mainly composed of crystalline rocks, consistent with the makeup of the northern rim of the highlands of Bohemia. The highest point in the range is Velká Deštná, at 3,658 feet (1,115 m). Rhön Mountains The Rhön Mountains are a group of low mountains in central Germany, located in the states Hesse, Bavaria and Thuringia. They are the product of ancient volcanic activity and are separated from the Vogelsberg Mountains by the Fulda River and its valley.

These mountains are a popular tourist destination. Hikers come for the nearly 6,000 km (3,750 miles) of tracks through the picturesque scenery, and gliding enthusiasts have been drawn to the area since the early Twentieth century. More recently, farmstays are flourishing in the region. Since 1991, UNESCO has declared the Rhön a Biosphere Reserve on account of its unique high-altitude ecosystem.

The peaks of the Rhön include: Wasserkuppe 950 m (3,110 ft), (hessian rhön) Kreuzberg (mountain) 928 m (3,040 ft) (bavarian rhön) Schwabenhimmel 926 m (3,040 ft) (bavarian rhön) Heidelstein 913 m (3,000 ft) (bavarian rhön) Milseburg 835 m (2,740 ft) (hessian rhön) Feuerberg 832 m (2,730 ft) (bavarian rhön) Ellenbogen 814 m (2,670 ft) (thuringian rhön) Spessart The Spessart is a hill chain in northwestern Bavaria and southern Hesse, Germany. On three sides it is bounded by the Main River, which describes a long curve. Two large cities are located at the foot of the Spessart: Aschaffenburg and Würzburg.

Although the Spessart is a roughly circular hill country, the main ridge extends from the southwest to the northeast. It is continued by the Odenwald in the southwest and by the Rhön in the northeast. Its highest peak is the Geiersberg (586 m). Apart from the edges, the region is sparsely populated. Two nature parks called Bavarian Spessart and Hessian Spessart occupy large portions of the hills. Sudetes The Sudetes, also called Sudeten or Sudety is a mountain range in Central Europe. It stretches from eastern Germany to Poland and Czech Republic. The highest mountain is Sněžka-Śnieżka in Krkonoše/Karkonosze Mountains on the Czech-Polish border. It reaches up to 1,602 m. The Sudetes are divided into: 1. Western Sudetes Zugspitze, Alps: Germany's Highest Mountain - YouTube Zugspitze, Alps: Germany's Highest Mountain Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. The interactive transcript could not be loaded. Loading... Rating is available when the video has been rented.

This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Uploaded on Aug 3, 2011 More info about travel to Bavaria: The Zugspitze, at 10,000 feet, is Germany’s highest mountain. From the peak, you can see a view of over 400 peaks in four countries: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy. At , you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination. Category ﻿Zugspitze – Germany’s highest mountain Munich Insider » Germany Sights » ﻿Zugspitze – Germany’s highest mountain ﻿Zugspitze – Germany’s highest mountain Share on: Munich – Zugspitze: ~ 100 km, 1 hour 20 minutes Address for GPS: Seefeldweg 1, 82491 Grainau Duration: 1 day Cable car (roundtrip): €52 adult, €38 youth (16-18 y.o.), €30.50 children (6-15 y.o.), children up to 5 years old free, strollers are allowed.

Family discounts are also available. Insider’s tips: The temperature that day was 28°C (82°F) in Munich and 8°C (46°F) on the mountain; take a jacket with you. Sunny day is recommended for the trip to fully enjoy the views from the summit. If there is a lot of tourists, it is important to take a token for the return ride immediately upon arrival at the summit, otherwise you may wait up to 2 hours in line for the ride down. Open map in separate tab Zugspitze – the highest mountain in Germany Germany, as its neighbours to the south, boasts magnificent Alpine peaks, and one of them, the highest and steepest, draws crowds of tourists from around the world. We are talking about the Zugspitze mountain, which reaches almost 3,000 meters (almost 10,000 feet) in height. The mountain range with this famous peak is located near the ski resort of Garmisch-Partenkirchen. This town is known, first of all, as the site of the 1936 Winter Olympics.

Zugspitze is not only a site for downhil skiing, but also a major Alpine attraction per se, so it is interesting for tourists in any season. For example, we first went there in August, on a warm sunny day. It was +28°C (82°F) in Munich and at the summit, which is only 100 km from the city, it was only +8°C (46°F). So, it would not hurt to pack sweaters and jackets even in the summer. From Munich to Zugspitze We left Munich around 10 o’clock in the morning and arrived to our detination shortly after 11 am. A couple of words about the road. At first, it is a frisky drive on the A95 autobahn which goes in the direction of Garmisch-Partenkirchen and farther to Innsbruck in Austria. However, the high-speed section ends at Garmisch, so you have to continue on country roads (Landstrasse) where traffic jams (Stau) are quite frequent. Therefore, it is difficult to predict the travel time, and if you need to be there at a certain time, it is better to start earlier.

On that particlar day we were lucky and did not encounter any traffic delays; so it took us 1 hour 20 minutes to get to Zigspitze. There are two options to “conquer” the Zugspitze peak for those of us who are not mountaineers and rock climbers: a cable car or train. The latter option may seem apropriate for those who are completely lazy, but in fact this railroad is very interesting and unusual. I will discribe it later. We chose the cable car and, therefore, parked our car in the village of Eibsee, where the starting station of the cable car is located. We had to stand in two lines: one – to buy tickets, about 5 minutes, and the other – to the cable car itself, which was about an hour long. The adult ticket costs €52, children under 6 – free. By the way, there were many children and they were allowed to take even baby strollers into the cable car. Zugspitze cable car and the 360° panorama on the summit The cable car ride up was already quite an entertainment. At first, it moved not straight up, but diagonally, and seemed rather slow.

So, we just relaxed and enjoyed the Alpine views around us. Suddenly, somewhere halfway up, the gondola accelerated and went up steeply. We felt as if on a roller coaster. Wow … I almost felt that my heart was in my throat. The entire journey was hardly longer than 15 minutes, but it left quite a long-lasting impression. The cable car brought us almost to the top of the mountain. In fact, it was still a couple dozen meters (by height) to the summit proper. A walking path led to the top and we could see a gilded cross there. The cross marks the highest point – 2962 meters (9741 feet). Quite a few people wanted to climb to it and we went too. I must say the path is pretty steep and rocky, so a pair of suitable shoes is a must. It was also chilly and windy, but we were determined to “conquer” the mountain. The views from the summit were so spectacular that I think one has to enjoy them at least once in a lifetime. I do not know whether there is any other place on Earth, or rather a geographic point, from where one can see four different counries.

Zugspitze is such a point, from its top you can see Germany, Austria, Italy and Switzerland (actually, mountain peaks in these countries). Oh, I almost forgot about Liechtenstein; after all, is also an independent state, even though a “dwarf” one. I know it is in the Alps, squeezed somewhere between Switzerland and Austria, so Liechtenstein should be visible from Zugspitze. We were standing there for a long time peering at the distance, but, frankly, it was impossible to understand which country is where and to discern any international boundaries. And is it necessary? It is clear, of course, that Germany is to the north, and the mountains there are not as high. The other countries are to the south, and the peaks there are considerably higher. Glacial lake Eibsee with its shiny mirror surface was clearly visible at the bottom of the mountain. Overall, the views of the Alps were astounding. We admired them from the observation deck until we chilled to the bones. We also got pretty hungry and went to restaurant “Gipfelalm’, right there on the mountain. We spend there 2 hours enjoying Bavarian food and beer. Well, it was finally time to descend.

The descent back to Eibsee – it is a separate story We almost got stuck on the mountain, which I blame on the lack of information (or more precisely, insufficient research in advance on our part). There were many people that day on the summit, so to avoid crowds at the cable car station, the staff were issuing tokens with indicated time of boarding. We were late to realize that and could only get tokens for one of the last runs, scheduled for 6 pm. It was only 4 pm and we were not inclined to spend another two hours in the cold there. Fortunately, it turned out that there is always an alternative for latecomers. From the summit, one can descend 300 meters to the Zugspitzplatt glacier on a small cable car called “Gletscherbahn”. The railroad, which I mentioned above, goes from the bottom of the mountain to Zugspitzplatt and back. So, we used this route to get to our car parked in Eibsee. Now it is time to describe, as I promised before, this mainatin railroad.

It is called Bayerische (Bavarian) Zugspitzbahn and goes from Garmisch-Partenkirchen to the Zugspitzplatt glacier, the last station is called Gletscher-Bahnhof (Glacier Train Station). The journey from Garmisch-Partenkirchen takes about an hour, and it is about 30 minutes from Eibsee (one of the intermediate stations). On the last section of the railroad (which we used to get back from the mountain), the train goes mainly in the tunnel, so you cannot see much. However, it is comfortable and is also convenient for skiers. The train makes several stops right at the chairlifts to the ski slopes. From the Grainau station, the conventional rail track changes to the so-called gear-toothed rail track, which allows the trains to climb the mountain. I must say that it is a fairly steep climb. The principle is rather simple: There is an additional toothed rail between the two conventional rails. The train cars are equipped with special gear wheels which engage with the toothed rail. Well, the principle may be simple, but is not that easy to implement; so it is yet another example of German engineering.

This railroad is really unique, so it is worth to take a ride. In Eibsee we walked for about 20 more minutes on the lake shore. Water in the lake is crystal clear, it comes from the glaciers. The sun that day was hot and a lot of people were sunbathing on the beach; many were even swimming in the lake. One can rent a boat or catamaran to supplement the mountain trip with the water adventure. However, we were already somewhat tired and wanted to go home. So, we just relaxed and watched others at this heavenly place. In conclusion, I can say that it was a wonderful day spent in the mountains. The ski season on Zugspitze Share on:

Question: Which is the highest mountain in Germany?
Answer: ZUGSPITZE